Delight as book fest event set for return
Organisers of the popular BOOKMARK festival in Blairgowrie have confirmed plans for an‘in person’event with writers Richard Frazer and Olga Wojtas on Saturday this week.
As well as featuring the two writers in conversation, the event – previously scheduled to take place in July – will also see the launch of ticket sales for the main Blairgowrie, Rattray and the Glens book festival itself, which is due to take place in October.
BOOKMARK committee chair Gail Wylie stressed that the appropriate Covidrelated regulations would be adhered to.
“Our first online event in March this year was a sell-out ‘Meet the Author’ session set up and run by Steve Johnson from Proactive Communities.
“Richard Frazer, minister of Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh and a former minister at Collace, Cargill and Burrelton parishes, spoke to Olga Wojtas – editor, writer and a favourite guest of ours – about his book ‘Travels with a Stick’, an utterly engaging account of his journey along the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella, a walk Olga had also undertaken.
“It was a fascinating hour’s discussion and was so compelling that both Richard and Olga were entreated by our audience to continue their talk in a return visit.
“And so – this Saturday, August 21 – they are coming, in person, to Blairgowrie.”
The session will take place at the St Catherine’s Centre on George Street.
Gail continued: “We were overjoyed
to get confirmation that we can hold the event in St Catherine’s Community Centre now that restrictions have been lifted for indoor events.
“We will, obviously, be taking advice regarding hand gel stations, cleaning, and other Covid guidelines.
“For those who enjoyed listening to Richard and Olga’s conversation earlier in the year regarding Richard’s pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela why not join us for the rest of the journey?
“And for those who missed the first part, there is still much to hear about his journey.”
Gail said that the event will also see
the launch of ticket sales for the 2021 BOOKMARK festival, which takes place over the weekend of October 9-10.
She explained: “Although we are planning to run a live festival – and have been encouraged to do so by the directors of Scotland’s major book festivals – this will be subject to Covid rules and on a reduced scale as far as events and audience numbers are concerned.
“The theme will be ‘Going Abroad and Coming Home’ and all the writers, including Ken Cox, Rachel Joyce and James Robertson, responded very positively to our tentative invitations, realising that we are bound by forces
outwith our control.
“We are hopeful that we will also be able to sell tickets for the October events on Saturday.”
Tickets are £8.50 per event or £55 for a weekend pass for the October festival. There are eight events currently scheduled for the festival weekend. Early bird tickets purchased between August 21 and 31 cost £7.50 per event or £45 for a weekend pass.
Saturday’s event takes place at 2pm. Tickets are £8 or £7 for members.
For further information, go to the festival’s website www.bookmarkblair. com. Alternatively, search for ‘BOOKMARK Blair’ on social media.